ME5103

Plates & Shells (Part I)

Sem. 2, AY 2015/16

Tutorial 1: Bending of Rectangular Plate

1. The rectangular isotropic homogeneous thin plate shown in Fig. 1.1 is simply
supported along all four edges and has the deflected shape

q0
m2 n2
2
2
b
a

4 D

sin

m x
ny
sin
a
b

where D is the flexural stiffness of the plate and m and n are integers.
(a) Find the expression for the loading q, What is the physical meaning of q0 ?
(b) If a b and m n 1 , find the magnitudes and direction of the concentrated
forces acting at the four corners of the plate.

a
x
b

y
Fig. 1.1
2. A rectangular warehouse floor slab of sides a and b is simply supported on all
edges as shown in Fig. 1.2. Determine the reactions at the supports if the material
is stored on the entire floor in such a way that the loading is expressed in the
following approximate form

p( x, y ) p0 sin

x
a

sin

y
b

where p0 represents the intensity of the load at the center of the plate. (Use the
first term m n 1 in the series solution)

ME5103

Plates & Shells (Part I)

Sem. 2, AY 2015/16

Fig. 1.2
3. A simply supported rectangular steel plate of dimensions a 1.2 m, b 0.72 m,
t 12 mm, is under a distributed transverse load p( x, y ) as shown in Fig. 1.3. The
material properties are E 200 GPa, 0.3 .

(a) Derive the expression for the deflection of plate by using Naviers approach.
(b) Assume that the plate is subjected to a uniformly distributed load
p( x, y ) p0 , where p0 is a constant. If the allowable yield strength
yp 240 MPa, determine the limiting value of p0 that can be applied to

the plate without causing permanent deformation (Retaining only the first
four terms in the series solution). (Hint: x ,max , y ,max yp ).
(c) Determine the maximum deflection ( wmax ) that would be produced when p0
reaches its limiting value (Retaining only the first four terms in the series
solution).
a
b

x
t

p0
z

Fig. 1.3

ME5103

Plates & Shells (Part I)

Sem. 2, AY 2015/16

Answers:

1.

(a). q q0 sin

2.

3.

(a). w

4 p0 ab

mx
my
sin
;
a
b

(b). Rc

8 p0 (1 )
;
ab(1 / a 2 1 / b 2 ) 2

q0 a 2
(1 ).
2 2

Rc

2 p0 (1 )
ab(1 / a 2 1 / b 2 ) 2
2

pmn
mx
ny
1
;
sin
sin

2
4
a
b
D m 1 n 1 m / a 2 n / b 2

(b). p0 126.4 kPa ;

(c). wmax 9.3 mm .